Brussels and Charleroi airports paralyzed due to strike by “essential workers”: what to expect?

Brussels and Charleroi airports paralyzed due to strike by “essential workers”: what to expect?
Brussels and Charleroi airports paralyzed due to strike by “essential workers”: what to expect?

The cleaning, security and hospitality sectors are on strike this Tuesday. They gather in the European district of Brussels from midday to demand better working conditions. Consequences of this action: no flights take off from Brussels and Charleroi airports. More than half of landings are also canceled in Brussels.

All commercial flights departing from the two airports of Brussels and Charleroi are canceled this Tuesday due to a strike by security agents of the service company.

The strike stems from a call for mobilization launched by a confederation of unions which wants to challenge the EU on the working conditions of “essential workers” in the cleaning, security and catering sectors. Around a thousand people from all over Europe will gather from midday on Place Jean Rey in Brussels, in the European Quarter, to demand decent working conditions and fair wages.

The demonstration will bring together Belgian workers and those from at least eight other European countries (, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Spain and Finland), as well as European unions.

The strike notices filed in the security, cleaning and catering sectors to allow workers to participate in the demonstration have a significant impact on the country’s airports.

At Brussels airport, the 249 flights initially planned are canceled, according to a spokesperson for the operating company Brussels Airport. In an alert message published on the website, Brussels Airport confirms that, in consultation with the airlines, “no passenger flights departing on October 1st” is not operated on. No flights departing from Brussels Airport are indicated on the notice board of the airport website, consulted before 6:00 a.m. this Tuesday. And most flights are also announced as canceled tomorrow. Brussels Airport asks travelers not to go to the airport and indicates that they will be contacted by the airlines.

Arriving passenger flights “can be operated on”but cancellations “are likely”also reports Brussels Airport.

It is the absence of baggage screening agents that prevents planes from taking off. These control operations at the two airports were entrusted to the same service provider, the British multinational G4S.

Airlines have already contacted impacted passengers. Passengers are therefore advised to carefully check their emails and airline communications. They can also go to the Brussels Airport site.

In terms of the total number of passengers impacted, “this represents 42,000 people”indicates the airport. “32,000 for passengers who had a planned departure and 10,000 people whose arriving flight will also be rescheduled.”

At Charleroi airport,“the little hundred” of flights initially planned are canceled, notably those of the low-cost airline Ryanair. According to travel information available on the airport’s website at dawn, certain Wizzair flights are announced with a diversion via Maastricht.

Arrivals are, however, largely maintained, with the exception of certain flights from Istanbul operated by the Pegasus company.“We can ensure arrivals without problem, since there is no interaction with security agents,” underlined Nathalie Pierard, spokesperson for Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA).

The thousands of passengers affected by the cancellations will be contacted by their airline, assure Brussels Airport and BSCA.

Charleroi airport should return to normal operation on Wednesday morning.

Unions calling for protests say EU rules on public procurement “have fueled a race to the bottom in working conditions” cleaners, security guards and other catering workers. They are calling for changes to these rules.

The FGTB in Belgium and the CFDT in France are among the fifteen unions from several European countries which intend to challenge the EU on the subject, under the umbrella of the United Network International organization.

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